Harvester pickup



July 6, 1954 o. E. HlNTZ 2,682,743

HARVESTER PICKUP Filed March 17, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

BY 0&0 E. Jame;

y 6, 1954 o. E. HINTZ 82,743

HARVESTER PICKUP I Filed March 17, 1952 45 s t -s t 3 IN V EN TOR.

. PMQ-W July 6, 1954 o. E. HINTZ 2,682,743

HARVESTER/RICKUP r Enema 71 55? r 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

(Hid E. Hini BY PMCD- M 1 y 195.4 0. E. HINTZ 2,682,743

HARVESTER PICKUP Filed March 17, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 6,1954 HARVESTER PICKUP Otto E. Hintz, Riverside, 111., assignor toInternational Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationMarch 17, 1952, Serial No. 277,003

20 Claims.

This invention relates to harvesters and more particularly to a novelpick-up therefor.

A general object of the invention is to devise a wide-swath pick-upproviding simple, effective and durable means for bunching the croptoward the center of the pick-up and discharging it into a narrow throatlocated centrally at the rear thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to devise a gathererincorporating a revolvable drum within a plurality of envelopingstripper bars, the drum including outstanding tines interdigitating withthe bars and the bars at opposite extremes of the pick-up beingcontoured to impose a lateral force component on the crop Which isbeing'swept therealong so as to shift it from opposite ends of thepick-up to the center thereof in alignment with the narrow throat at theback end of the pick-up.

A further object is to design a pick-up wherein the condensed means arestatic members in the form of specially contoured stripper bars.

Another object is to provide a relatively inexpensive self-strippingpick-up wherein the stripper bars are developed as spiral segments; thecrop-engaging outer contours of which lie in planes intersecting thecircular paths of the tines,

or fingers of the pick-up drum, whereby the tines as they orbit aboutthe axis of the drum are caused to emerge and disappear with respect tothe stripper bars in predetermined areas "and wherein the end groups orcondensing strippers at opposite extremes of the pick-up are angledinwardly toward the center of the pick-up for guiding the crop thereto.

An additional object is to develop the curvature of the condenserstripper bars in a manner to obtain an effective lateral force componenton the crop and at the same time control the disappearance of thefingers through the bars to eliminate interference thereby to thelateral movement of the crop.

A still further object is to design such a mechanism wherein the lengthof the sweep of the endmost sets of fingers at opposite ends of thepick-up is least and that of each successive set inwardly thereofprogressively increased whereby each set picks and kicks the crop upalong the related condenser strippers with sufficient momentum to slidethe crop laterally to the next set inwardly thereof and so forth untilit is deposited on the center group of fingers which sweep directly intothe throat.

Another object is to mount and arrange the condensing strippers in suchmanner as to substantially eliminate pinching or dead areas.

A still further object is to provide outstanding laterally projectingdeflector tabs on the trailing ends of the condensing strippers, eachtab being angled rearwardly toward the center of the pickup andoverlapping the tab on the trailing end of the condensing stripperdisposed inwardly thereof, the tabs functioning as an additional guidefor any material which may be thrown up thereagainst so as to progressit toward the center of the pick-up.

Another object is to provide a novel combination compressor and overloadcompensator assembly above the overshot pick-up and functioning to loadthe crop against the strippers to urge the same downwardly on thetapered surfaces at opposite ends of the pick-up toward the center. I

A further object is to mount the tamper and overload compensatorassembly so that it is movable in a manner to accept the overload andresponsive thereto to simultaneously move in a direction urgingrearwardly the crop increment ahead of the overload.

A still further object is to design a compensator which will tend tospread the overload bunching of crops as it is progressed toward therear discharge end of the pick-up.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent fromthe specification and the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the novel pick-uplooking from the forward side thereof, the overload compensator brokenaway to clarify the illustration;

Figure 2 is a side perspective view of a harvester incorporating thenovel pick-up and shown mounted upon a tractor;

Figure 3 is a perspective front view of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially onthe line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the pickup. 1

Describing the invention in detail, the harvester generally designated 2may be mounted from a rear axle housing of a conventional tractor 4between a laterally spaced wheel 6 thereof and the body 8. The harvestermay include a processing section H) such as described in my copending U.S. application for Stalk Crop Harvester, Serial No. 213,398, filed March1, 1951, now Patent No. 2,634,669.

A field-traversing mounting or support framework 12 is provided at theforward end of the section l8 to which is connected a novel overshotpick-up or gatherer conveyor I4.

The pick-up l4 includes a pair of laterally spaced side members It andit connected at their rear extremities to opposite ends of a cross beam25 which inwardly of its ends is connected to the lower ends ofupstanding angles 22 and 24. The beam 28 and angles 22 and 24 constitutea mounting structure for connection to the framework l2 by bolts 26, 26.

The angles 22 and 24 form the lateral outlines of a narrow throat 28centered with respect to the pick-up. The angles 22 and 24 connect to ormay be integral with the rear ends of upstanding forwardly divergingside panels as and 3?. disposed at opposite ends of the pick-up andforming part of the support, the forward extremity of panel 3i. beingconnected to the forward end of side member 16 and the forward endof-panel 32 bein secured to the forward end of side mem ber l8.

A reel or drum 34 is positioned between the side members It and I8 andcomprises a center shaft 3% forming a transverse substantiallyhorizontal axis of rotation for the drum. The shaft as is journaledadjacent each end on the support structure, namely, the members It andi8, and at one end is keyed with a sprocket 38 driven by a chain andgearing system 4% from a side power take-01f shaft 42 of the tractor.The rotation of the reel is in the direction whereby the forward side ofthe reel sweeps upwardly as shown by the arrow in Fig. 4. The shaft 52mounts a spider arrangement 44, Fig. 4, which are secured axially spacedannular sets of fingers 46, 4E, corresponding fingers of said sets beingdisposed in substantially axial rows.

The reel is enveloped by a stripper assembly generally designated 48(Fig. 1) which includes a center section i), comprising a plurality ofside by side laterally spaced substantially identical crop supportelements or stripper bars 52 in alignment transversely of the pick-upwith the throat 23 disposed at the rear of the pick-up. Each bar 52presents an outer or external cropengaging surface 54 which extendswidthwise axially of the l and each bar 52 includes a forward or leadingarcuate substantially spiral section es (Fig. 4). The lower end of thesection it terminates in a rearwardly upwardly inclined substantiallystraight bottom portion 58 extending chordally with respect to the axisof the reel and at its rear extremity suitably anchored to thecross-beam 2c. The upper portion 65) of each bar 52 is continued as aspiral and at its rear extremity is connected as by rivets 62 to theupper I end of an upstanding support 5!: preferably weld mounted at itslower end on the cross-beam 253.

It will be observed that the lower extremity of each bar 52 is locatedwell within the radius of the fingers of the reel 34 and that thecurvature of the sections 56 and 6B initiates adjacent to the axis ofthe drum within the periphery of the fingers and gradually recedes awayfrom the axis in the direction of rotation of the drum beyond theperiphery of the fingers. Such disposition of the strippers permits therelated sets of fingers to interdigitate therewith and sequentiallyemerge through the bottom of the stripper assembly through slots 6|, 6i(Fig. 5) between the strippers, then sweep in an are about the axisthrough the forward sections 56 and along the top sections (ill of thestrippers and then simultaneously disappear through said strippersadjacent to the trailing ends thereof.

The pick-up is further characterized by end groups of condensingstrippers or stripper bars generally designated 66, 66 (Figs. 1 and 3)and located at opposite ends of the pick-up, the groups beingsubstantially identical and each group comprising a series of severalstripper bars 63, l0, l2 and 'Hi arranged in echelon formation with thefirst, leading or endmost bar E8 having a forward diagonal laterallyoutwardly projecting flange "it at its outboard edge, the flange itbeing secured by a standoff mounting ii to the inward or inboard sidesof the forward extremities of the related panel as and side member It orpanel 52 and side member i8. Each condenser stripper has a bottomsegment or section 18 (Figs. e and 5) substantially coplanar with thesegments 58 of the center strippers and secured at its rear extremity tothe cross-beam '29 preferably as by welding. The bottom or leading endof the forward section cc (Fig. 4) of each endmost bar 58 extends fromthe forward end of the related bottom segment '18 at an area within theperiphery of the path of the outermost ends of the fingers of therelated end set and the bar 68 curves transversely progressivelyabruptly away from the reel in a generally spiral are which interceptsintermediate its ends as at 35 the peripheral path 82, shown in phantomlines in Fig. i, of the outermost ends of the adjacent set of fingers.The stripper es presents on its section cc an external tapered orinwardly angled crop-engaging surface 84 which slopes transversely ofthe axis of the reel inwardly toward the center section era.

The next condensing stripper bar iii which is stepped rearwardly withrespect to the adjacent stripper 86 has its forward or leading portionor section 85 generally spirally transversely curved and extending fromthe forward end of its associated bottom section '88 about the forwardside of the reel in a progressively receding curve initiating within theperiphery of the fingers and curving gradually away from the axis of thereel less abruptly than the stripper Q3. The upper extent of section 86is continued into an upper portion 538 in the spiral curvaturerearwardly over the reel. The forward and top sections of the stripperH3 present a crop-engaging surface 9% (Figs. 1 and 4) which issubstantially coplanar with surface 8 1 and the plane of the surface 9E3intercepts or intersects as at 92 (Fig. 4) the sweeping arc or path 82of the set of fingers operating along the inboard edge 34 (Fig. l) ofstripper Hi. It will be noted that the intercept 92 is locatedpreferably about 45 rearwardly or in trailing relationship behind theintercept iii.

The next condensing stripper l2 has a forward portion or section $5which extends from the forward end of its related segment 58 about theforward side of the reel in a generally spiral curve progressivelyreceding from the axis of the reel and initiating within the peripheryof the finger and curving less abruptly than the preceding stripperl'ii. The upper part of stripper i2 is continued as an upper portion orsection 98 which extends over the reel farther rearwardly than stripper7G which in turn extends arther rearwardly than stripper 58. The forwardand top sections of stripper i2 present a crop-engaging surface seesubstantially coplanar with surfaces M and and the plane of the surfacelea intercepts or intersects as at 592 (Fig, i) the sweeping arc or path82 of the set of fingers operating along the inboard edge ill-Z- (Fig.l) of stripper 72. The intercept m2 is preferably located about 45rearwardly of point 92.

and rotational movement.

The next condensing stripper M has a forward portion or section Hi3which initiates from the forward end of the related segment I8 withinthe periphery of the fingers and curves around the forward side of thereel and continues in an upper or top portion I98 (Figs. 1 and 5) whichterminates approximately evenly with the trailing ends of the centersection strippers 52 and is connected to the upper end of a support IIll(Fig. 5) which at its lower end is connected to the cross-beam 29. Thegenerally spiral curvature of sections I95 and I08 of stripper I4 isless abrupt than that of stripper I2 disposed outboardly thereof and thesections I 05 and I58 present a crop-engaging surface I II] angledsimilarly to surfaces 84, 90 and I and substantially coplanar therewith.The intercept of the plane of the surface I It with the path 82 of thefingers operating along its inboard edge II2 (Figs. 1 and may be locatedat II l (Fig. 4) preferablyeli" rea'rwardly of intercept I92 and insubstantially transverse alignment with the intercept of the plane ofthe crop-engaging external surface 54 on the upper portion 69 of thecenter strippers with the outer paths 82 (Fig. 4) of the relatedfingers.

Thus, the cndmost sets of fingers have the shortest sweeping arcs andthe sweeping arc of each succeeding set inwardly of the endmost set isprcgressively longer and longer with the increment of increase of eachsucceeding set extending from the trailing end of the arc of the nextadjacent preceding outer set.

The stripper members or elements 58, it and I?! are backed up bymounting members H5, II8 and 6255 (Fig. 5) disposed within therespective stripper elements and connected at their rear ends to thecross-beam 2t and projecting forwardly therefrom and connected at theirfor ward ends to the elements 68, 76 and i2 respectively as at 22, IZtand I26 (Fig. 1) intermediate the ends thereof. The rear ends of members68, 1t and ?2 are free and. overhang the reel whereby any hay which maynot disengage from the associated fingers will readily pass between theslots I23, I38 and I32 (Figs. 1 and 3) defined respectively between themembers 68, 79, I2 and It.

To prevent excessive spill over the trailing ends of strippers 68, 'Illand I2, said ends are provided with outstanding deflector tabs or guideelements I34, I36 and I33 respectively, angled rearwardly toward thethroat in a generally common direction with the inner or free end of tabI35 overlapping the upper edge of tab I36 and the inner or free end oftab I36 overlapping the upper edge of tab I38 and tab I38 extending overthe adjacent stripper "I l and into the throat 28. The tabs generallyparallel the adjacent panel 39 or 32 and are spaced laterally therefromshown at Itil.

A further featureof the invention is the provision of a combinationtamper or compressor and overload anticipator assembly generallyindicated Hi2 and comprising a cross bar or fore support I44 at itsforward end supporting a shield 14s therebelow, the shield extendingbetween the forward extremities of the side plates 39 and 32 and theends of the bar or guide I4 projecting into slots is and I56 in saidplates 35 and 32, the slots being substantially vertically elongated andproviding generally vertical margins or edges or guides E52 whereby theforward or leading end of the assembly is restricted to up and downoutwardly of the 6 plates the ends of the bar it are provided withwasher and cotter key locking devices I46 for maintaining the bar inassembly with theplates.

The shield terminates a short distance rearwardly of the bar I45. andconnects with the bar to the front ends of a plurality of laterallyspaced upwardly bowedside by side slat irons :55, W5 which at their rearends terminate adjacent to the throat entrance.

The rear extremities of the irons I56 are carried from a slidable pivotbar element or aft support means I 58 which extends across the topgenerally horizontal substantially coplanar edges or margins I'ESO andI62 (Fig. 5) of the plates 30 and 32 adjacent to their rear extremitiesand provides an axis of rotation above the forward extremity of theassembly. The upwardly facing surfaces I60 and H52 are substantiallypreferably normal to the planes of the guide surfaces I52. The rearextremities of the slats I56 are positioned a substantial distance belowthe upper edges i511 and IE2 of the plates by means of depending lugsI63 on the bar I58 and secured to the top sides of the respective slatsI56.

In operation the gatherer or pick-up is advanced into the crop layingupon the ground as in a wide window. The drum rotates to sweep upwardlyon its leading side and the construction of the condenser strippers andrelationship of fingers lifts the crop onto the strippers. The endmostsets of fingers have the shortest sweeping arcs due to the convolutionof the related strippers and each successive set inwardly thereof has aprogressively larger sweep. This feature effects a correlation betweenthe Work each set of fingers does and its extent of sweep so that thelightest launching is merely kicked up at the ends of the pick-up andthe fingers thereof rapidly disappear so as to not interfere with thelateral moment developed on the crop by its movement along the relatedstrippers on the inwardly converging surfaces thereof. The crop is thusshifted from the end sets of fingers to successive inner sets whichprogressivel sweep the crop upwardly and over the top of the pick-up.The crop from each end is kicked up in steps by the respective fingersand slid over the strippers from one set to the next until it iscondensed with the crop which is picked directly by the tines or fingersof the center section of the pick-up whereupon it is moved rearwardlyinto the narrow throat.

The crop redistributor bafiie structure or compressor and loadanticipator assembly I 32, which is fioatingly mounted, cooperates withthe strippersto impose a downwardly directed force vector crop bunchedtherebeneath so that the crop on the condenser strippers is caused toslide toward the center. Any particles of the crop which may be shot upto the trailing ends of the condenser strippers will be deflected by thetabs toward the center and any fragment which may catch on the fingersinterdigitating with the condenser strippers can push through thetrailing ends thereof.

In the course of picking, the crop feeds in varying volume. To effect agulping action the assembly I42 is caused to rotate about the axis ofbar I 58 to raise the front end to accept the overload andsimultaneously effect movement of t s lation rearwardly due to thevertical guidance of the forward end of the assembly M2 to thus push thecrop increment immediately therebeneath rearwardly just at the moment ofoverload to clear a space ahead for the overload. It will be noted thatthe bar I58 slides back and forth on the edges H36 and H52 and also islifted off the edges when passing the overload beneath the rear end ofassembly I42 and rotated about the axis of the forward bar I44. When theoverload is cleared the front end of assembly M2 drops to the limitpermitted by the lower edges of slots I48 and I50 and the cross-bar [58comes to rest upon the upper edges I69 and H52 of the plates 30 and 32.The downward movement of the forward end of the assembly upon passingthe overload bunching shifts the assembly forwardly which tends toredistribute the overbunching by spreading it out. It will be understoodthat these movements of rotation and translation of the assembly I42take place with rapidity and develop moments of inertia which help toscatter the crop.

What is claimed is:

1. In an overshot pick-up for out hay and the like, a portable mountingstructure, a rotatable reel journaled thereon on a substantialhorizontal axis and having a plurality of axially spaced sets ofoutstanding fingers with corresponding fingers of respective setsarranged in generally axial rows, a series of laterally spaced arcuatestrippers including a group of condensing strippers at each end carriedby the structure, said strippers enveloping said reel and arranged ininterdigitating relationship with said fingers, the condensing strippersof respective groups presenting substantially coplanar crop-engagingareas forwardly and above the reel angle laterally toward the center ofthe pick-up, all of said strippers receding from said axis in thedirection of rotation of the reel and positioned at a distance therefromsufiicient to permit said fingers to pass outwardly v therebetween inthe region of the lower edge of their forward sides and while movingtoward the trailing ends of said strippers to gradually disappeartherebetween, the curvature of the endmost condensing strippers beingmost abrupt away from said axis and of each succeeding condensingstripper progressively less abrupt whereby corresponding fingers of thesets cooperating with the condensing strippers are caused to disappearsequentially initiating with those of the endi:

most sets whereby to minimize interference to lateral shifting of thecrop.

2. In a field implement, a portable support, a reel rotatably mountedthereon and including axially spaced outstanding fingers, said reel ro-I tated to sweep upwardly on its forward side, a plurality of strippersarranged in echelon formation carried by the support encompassing saidreel and disposed in interdigitating relationship with said fingers,said strippers being angled laterally in a common direction transverselyto the axis of the reel and developing a substantially coplanarcrop-engaging leading surface area, the forwardmost stripper of saidformation curving most abruptly away from the axis of rotation of thereel and each succeeding stripper progressively curving less abruptlythan the preceding, said forwardmost stripper intercepting the shortestsweeping arc of the fingers and each succeeding stripper intercepting aproportionately longer sweeping arc.

3. A field implement according to claim 2 wherein each stripper from theforwardmost to rearwardmost is formed and arranged so that the incrementof increased length of each succeeding finger sweeping arc initiatingfrom said forwardmost stripper extends in a trailing direction withrespect to the next preceding arc.

l. A wide-swatch pick-up mechanism for narrow throat harvesting machinescomprising a frame, a reel rotatably mounted on the frame,material-supporting fiat-surfaces elements fixed to the frame andextending in laterally spaced relationship about the reel, each of saidmaterial-supporting elements including a curved front portion and anupper rearwardly extending portion gradually receding from the reel,certain of said elements being aligned with the throat and fixedlysecured at their rear ends to the frame and the remaining elementshaving their trailing ends freely overhanging the reel, said remainingelements having their front and upper portions angled laterallyrearwardly and downwardly respectively toward said certain elements toprovide diagonal surfaces sloping thereto.

5. A pick-up according to claim 4 and comprising upstanding deflectortabs on the trailing ends of said remaining elements angled rearwardlytoward the throat.

6. A wide-swatch pickup device for gathering material and delivering thegathered material into a narrow material-receiving portion on a portableframe comprising a reel rotatably mounted on a frame in front of saidportion and including a plurality of axially spaced sets of outstandingfingers, laterally spaced crop supporting elements disposed about saidreel carried on the frame and defining slots therebetween for thepassage of the fingers, the elements at opposite ends of said pick-upbeing curved farthest from the axis of rotation of the reel and eachsucceeding element inwardly thereof being similarly curved but spacedcloser to said axis in intersecting relationship to the path of theadjacent fingers whereby said elements from said ends toward the centerof the pick-up intercept progressively larger sweeping arcs ofrespective fingers.

'7. In a pick-up, the combination of a rotatable drum, a plurality ofaxially spaced pick-up fingers extending from the drum and securedthereto, stationary slotted stripper means extending from a regionadjacent the drum in a curve of gradually increasing radius away fromthe drum, the curve initiating from a radius less than that to the outerextremities of the fingers and the slots in said stripper means beingdisposed for the passage of said fingers, and said curve being so chosenas to progressively intercept at circumferentially spaced points insequence from the opposite ends toward the center section of the drumduring predetermined rotation of the drum, the paths of the outerextremities of corresponding fingers, the areas of said stripper meansadjacent opposite ends thereof being angled toward the center section ofsaid stripper means.

8. A stripper assembly for a device of the class described comprising aframe, a plurality of laterally spaced arcuate stripper bars mounted onthe frame about a common axis, the stripper bars at the center sectionof said assembly having a substantially common contour and all of saidstripper bars extending from a region adjacent said axis in a curve ofgradually increasing radius away from the axis, the stripper bars at theend sections of said assembly being arranged in echelon formation withthe end stripper bars farthest from said axis and each succeedingstripper bar closer to the axis, said stripper bars of the end sectionsbeing laterally angled toward said center section.

9. A stripper assembly for a device of the class described having atleast one section comprising a plurality of stationary stripper barsmounted on an associated support about a common axis, said bars formedwith generally fiat crop engaging faces and arranged in substantiallyechelon formation and including a first stripper bar, each bar extendingfrom its leading to its trailing ends in a curve initiating at theleading end adjacent to said axis and progressively receding therefromtoward the trailing end, the curvature away from said axis of eachsucceeding bar from the first thereof being progressively less sharpthan the preceding, said crop engaging faces being angled a commondirection toward said axis.

10. A condensing stripper comprising a flat faced'bar curvedtransversely substantially as a spiral segment, the face of the barbeing angled toward the axis of curvature of the bar.

11. A stripper element having leading and trailing ends and comprising acrop-engaging surface between said ends, and a deflector memberprojecting from said surface adjacent to said trailing end and providinga guide face intersecting said surface.

12. A pick-up comprising a support, a rotatable reel mounted thereon andprovided with outstanding fingers, a plurality of stripper bars carriedby the support encompassing said reel and arranged in interdigitatingrelationship with said fingers, the stripper bars at opposite ends ofthe pick-up being substantially coplanar and angled toward the centersection of the pick-up to provide inwardly converging surfaces adaptedto impose a lateral force component upon the crops moved therealong bythe associated fingers operating through the respective stripper barsfor shifting the crop onto and toward the center section of the pick-up,a combination tamper and overload compensator assembly overlying saidpick-up, means including slidable pivotal means supporting said assemblyadjacent to the rear end thereof on a generally horizontal transverseaxis located above the assembly, said slidable pivotal means movablelongitudinally with respect to the line of draft of said pick-up, saidassembly being movable about said slidable pivotal means toward saidpick-up against the crops piled between the same and said stripper barsand effective to impose a load upon the crops at opposite ends of thepick-up to move the same laterally to the center section of the pick-upin cooperation with the angled stripper bars therebeneath, and guidemeans carried by the support and associated with the forward end of theassembly for limiting said forward end to substantially up and downmovements, 7 said guide means and slidable pivotal means eifectiveimmediately upon overbunching of crops between the forward end of theassembly and the pick-up to permit said forward end of the assembly tomove substantially upwardly away from said pick-up while simultaneously,all other portions of the assembly while pivoting about said slidablepivotal means are caused to shift rearwardly whereby concomitantlyrearwardly shifting the underlying crops engaged thereby to clear thecrop increment ahead of the overload.

13. In a crop gathering mechanism, a frame structure, an overshotpick-up carried thereby, a tamper and overload compensator assemblymovably mounted above the pick-up from said structure and movable at itsleading end substantially up and down only and back of its leading endmovable simultaneously upwardly and rearwardly whereby rearwardlypropelling the crops engaged between the pick-up and assembly while theleading end is being lifted by an overload.

14. In a crop gathering mechanism, a frame structure, an overshotpick-up carried thereby, said structure including a pair of upstandinglaterally spaced panels extending upwardly from opposite ends of saidpick-up, a tamper and overload compensator assembly positioned above thepick-up, a supporting guide member connected to the leading end of saidassembly and extending at each end into substantially verticallyelongated guide slots in respective panels whereby the leading end isrestricted to substantially up and down movements, a pivot supportconnected to the rear extremity of said assembly and extending acrossthe upper margins of said plates, said margins disposed at a higherlevel than said slots so that in normal position said assembly isinclined downwardly forwardly whereby upon an overload of crops enteringbetween the forward end of the assembly and said pick-up, said forwardend is elevated by rotation about said pivot support and simultaneouslythe portions of the assembly rearwardly of the guide member are shiftedrearwardly by said guide member moving substantially vertically in saidslot.

15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein said assembly includesa plurality of longitudinal crop engaging elements extended between saidguide member and pivot support, and depending means on said pivotsupport suspending the rear ends of said elements therebelow adjacent tosaid pick-up.

16. In a harvester for out hay and the like comprising afield-traversing support, a pick-up carried thereby in gatheringrelationship to the cut hay, and compressor means fioatingly mounted onthe support in cooperative relationship with the pick-up and havingmotion of rotation and translation transversely of the pick-up.

l7. Compressor means comprising forward transverse guide means, slatelements extending transversely of the guide means and having one oftheir ends connected thereto, and support means for the opposite ends ofsaid slat elements and connected thereto.

18. The combination with a conveyor having a crop-carrying surface,means for moving crops along the surface in varying bunches, andcompressor means disposed in opposing relationship to said surfacewhereby the crops are caused to pass therebetween and comprising acrop-engaging structure guidably supported at its leading end formovement to and fro with respect to said surface upon engagement withbunches of predetermined dimensions, and support means guidablysupporting said structure aft of said leading end for movement ofrotation about an axis generally parallel to the plane of movement ofits leading end, said support means movable transversely to said planein response to movement of said leading end.

19. The combination with a conveyor having an upwardly facingcrop-carrying surface, means for moving crops along said surface, acrop-engaging structure spaced above the surface in 0pposingrelationship thereto, means supporting the leading end of the structureand guiding its movements in a predetermined plane to and fro withrespect to said crop-carrying surface, said support means presenting anupwardly facing bearing surface substantially normal to said plane andat a level normally higher than said leading end, and a support pivotelement connected to said structure adjacent to the aft end thereof andslidably and rotatably seated upon said bearing surface.

20. The combination with a conveyor including an upwardly facingmaterial-carrying surface and a pair of upwardly extending panelsflanking the surface, means for moving the material in varying bunchesbetween said panels along said surface, a baflie structure spaced abovesaid surface in opposing relationship thereto and engageable withbunches of material of over a predetermined height, said structurehaving a transverse round bar at its leading end extending at its endsinto vertically elongated slots in respective panels, the slot limitingmovement of the bar and thus the leading end of the structure within apredetermined substantially vertical plane, said panels presentinggenerally coplanar surfaces at their upper edges extending angularly tosaid plane, and a tubular-like support element connected to saidstructure aft of its leading end and straddling said upper edges of thepanels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,505,928 Buck et a1 Aug. 19, 1924 2,439,259 McCormack Apr. 6,1948 2,464,684 Hill Mar. 15, 1949 2,571,489 Russell Oct. 16, 1951

